Water-motor.



R. AMES.

WATER MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 23, 1909.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

HEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS R. AMES.

WATER MOTOR- APIfLIOAiION rum) 11017.23, 1909.

M a R E m H N F. s v. m W E Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

"M w W W m 04mg A TTURNE Y8 R. AMES.

WATER MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1909v 981,514. Patented Jan.1(),1911.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

WITNESSES l/VI/E/VTO/i ATTORNEYS 11. A MES WATER MOTOR.

APPLIOATIONIILED NOV. 23,1909.

Pa.tent;ed Jan; v10, 1911.

' 4 SHEETS-BEBE! 4.

mlm

INVENTOR 'Br 7/ Z ATTORNEYS v of the United States,

in Fig. 1; Fig.

N TE

RUFUS AMES, OF

ENT .QFFTCE- S POKA NE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN POWER- AND LIGHT COMPANY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

WATER-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application filed November-r 23, 1909.

concern:

I, Horns AMES, a citizen and a resident of Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented av new and Improved Water-Motor, of .which the fol: lowing is a full, clear, and exact description. Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide a motor of-the character described adapted to rest in a moving stream to present anu'mber of,moving blades to the impact-of the, moving water, connected by flexible means and rotatably mounted upon a rotary shaft; to provide a To all whom it may Be it known that motor of the character specified adapted to present to a shallow streama multiplicity of blades to receive the impact thereof; to provide means for increasing the water level of the water while passing through the mo-' tor; to provide means for diminishing the water pressure of the stream entering said motor; to provide means for varying the depth of the operation of said blades; to provide a motor of the character specified embodying a plurality of separate motorunits adapted to be consolidated; to provide a floating house or support adapted to maintain the dperative lGliltlQlll .of the motor units to the stream; and id! provide power generating mechanisms One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in whicl Figure 1 is aplan view of a motor and floating structure therefor constructed and arranged inaccordance with the present invention; Flg; 2 1s a longitudlnal vert1cal section of the same taken on the line 2 -2 tion .of'the' same taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line l-in Fig. 6, of the pivotal mounting of a motor blade; showing the motor blade connected with said mount ing; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the said mounting showing the blade at an angle varied from that shown in'the previous figure; and Fig. dis a detail view in horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1.

The present motor is designed for operal illustrated in the. drawings,

3 ments. Between the floats are l said blades being 14. T he partition 13 and side walls of the run- 4 within the floating structure of the said motor.

\ ings. and are l in which likel 3 is an enlarged vertical sec- Patented J an. 10, 191};

Serial No. 529.530.

,tion in anystream above or below tide wa-- ter therein. In its preferred application, 7 it is located above tide water influence. The motor Is also peculiarly adapted for operation in shallow streams.

7 and 8. These floats are l d A housing is constructed upon laterally extended float-s 7 as air tight compart formed decks 9, 9 connected to angle iron supports 10,10. The decks 9, 9 are joined to the floats 7 7- preferably formed and 8 by means of sills 11,

water. Above the sills .side frames forming partition l3. The pan divided and the side 12, 12 are recessed to any height above the 11, 11 are extended runways 12, 12 and-a tition 13 is suitably walls of the runways receive the mountings of hydraulic jacks 14',

able bearings, the

Fixedly mounted upon driving pulleys 18, 18. 15, 15 are formed to any desired diameter, the periphery with sprockets 19, 19. The sprockets 19, 19 extend between the blocks of chains 20, 20, the

chains being driven thereby. Extended between thechains 20, 20 are" curved blades 21, 21. The blades 21, 21"are' i placed upon the said chains at suitable'im' and are provided on the motor is operated will allow. The'blades 21 are curved substantially as illustrated in Figspt and 5 of the drawings, and are sep 11. The sills 11, \11 are supported on the floats 7 ,7 and Sat two of which The sprocket wheels v,

curely fastened to brackets 22, 22. The

l l l l l tervals as close as the conditions under which l l l brackets 22 are pivotally chains by means of rods 23, 23 extended between the two chains in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings.

T icbearings formed in the brackets 22 for 23are so disposed that when the l the rods mounted on the blades 21 are in'unersed in the flowing water,

sition. At the moment of enteringand leav v ing the water the blades are/thrown to either of the positions shown by thedotted lines in r Fig. 4 or the full lines in Fig. 5. The posi tions shown in said figures mark the limits of the throw of the said blades. The links con- 5 trolling this action are shown in detail in l Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive. The brackets 22. have provided in the extended ends thereof curved 5 slots 24. The slots 24 are curved concentrically with the rods 23, which form the 5 pivots for the rocking of the blades 21. On extensions 25 of the said brackets are. riveted pivot pins 26. The pins 26 extend i through slots 27 formed in links 28. The,

links 28 have riveted in the body portion i thereof pivot pins 29, which are extended through and held in engagement by the 3 slots 24. By means of the pivot pins 26 and 29 the links 28 and brackets 22 are held I inseparably connected but movably related. i In the forward end of the links 28 are formed enlarged slots 30, the oilice of which is to engage anti-friction wheels 31. The wheels 31, 31 are mounted upon shafts 32, 32 extended. between the chains 20, 20. The links 28 are held by the wheels 31 in sliding and guiding relation thereto.

By means of the mechanism above described the rock of the blades 21,21 is free and easy, but limited to the .positions .assumed when the links 28 and brackets 22 as sume the positions illustrated in Fig. 4 in dotted lines and Fig. 5 in full lines, wherein the pivot pins 26 and 29 and the wheels 31 are each resting in the ends of their respective engaged slots.

The chains 20,20 are supported in the horizontal reaches of the chains upon track sections 33 and 34. The section 33 is disposed with relation to the deck 9, the track 33 be ing mounted in the side wall of the partition 13 and the runways 12. Upon the ends of the shafts 32 are mounted carrying wheels 35, 35. The shafts 32 are passed through the 1 links of the chains 20 at the joined connection thereof.

The track sections 33 and 34 extend be tween and in line with the wheels 15, 15 and idler wheels 36, 36. The idler wheels i 36, 36 are fixedly mounted upon a shaft 37, which is mounted in bearings, the bottom member of which is rigidly secured to or in tegrally formed with the arms 17 of the jacks 14. The heads of the arms 17 are guided by vertical rails 38, 38, which, at the 1 upper end, are suitably braced byangle bars 39, 39. The jacks 14 are connected by pipes 40, 40 with a hydraulic pump 41. The system of pipes 40, 40 is arranged in duplicate, and each duplicate set is connected with each regulate'dby valves 42 and 43.

of the jacks 14, resting beneath the bearings of the wheels 15, 15 and 36, 36 in each of the the pressure of the blades will be such as to hold the same in a substantially vertical pomotor units. A motor unit herein is constituted by the wheels 15, 15 and 36, 36 and the chains and blades connected therewith.

The delivery of the water from the pump 41 into one or the other of the two'systems, is hen the valve 42 is open and the valve 43 closed, the unit shown on the upper side of the median line. of the drawing in Fig. 1 is operated by the water moved from the said pump 41. .The water entering the jacks 14, 14 quickly lifts each of the arms 17, 17 and the wheels 15, 15 and 36, 36 connected therewith. If the water pressure and supply be maintained, these wheels are finally raised to a height at which the blades 21, 21 are lifted clear of the water flowing over the deck 9 in the flume formed, by the said deck and the walls of the partition 13 and-runways 12. At any point in the lift of the jacks 14 the arms 17 may be arrested by closing the valve controlling the inlet of water to the said jacks. By manipulating the valve controlling the various pipes, of the hydraulic distribution, the motor units on either side may be independently 0r conjointly raised and lowered,

and the power generated thereby increasedor diminished.

When the blades 21, 21 are lowered in the water running through the flumes above the deck 9, the wheels 15, 15 and 36, 3.6, and the shafts carrying thesame, are rotated in proportion to the rapidity of the flow of the stream. The shafts 16, as stated, have fixedly mounted thereon the pulleys 18, 18. The pulleys 18, 18 have thereon mounted belts 44, 44. The belts '44, 44 are each connected with pulleys 45, 45, beingthe driven pulleys fixedly mounted 'upon short shafts 46 and 47. The shafts 46 and 47 are mounted in bearings formed in standards'48, 48, and are connected to a short shaft 49 by. any suitable clutch mechanism. Fixedly n1ounted upon the shaft 49 is a driven pulley50. The driven pulley 50 drives a belt 51, which is'passed about a large pulley 52 of an air compressor 53. The compressor 53 is utilized 54. By means of suitable piping 55, embodying flexible connections, the .air conto store air under pressurein a tank tained in the tank 54 is led away to the point where it may be used for any of the known purposes in which compressed air is used.

Upon the shaft 47,1s fixedly mounted a driving pulley 56,.which is belt connected by means of belts 57 and 58 with a rotary fan 59 and an electric dynamo 60 respectively. lVhen it is desired .to discontinue the use of either the fan or dynamo, the belt control ling the same is slipped from the icy connected therewith.

There are above described the various uses for which this motor may be employed, illustrating thereby the need for a disassociation,

driven pulat certain periods of the two motor units, and also the need of the uniting of the two, asin the case of both of the shafts a6 and 47 being employed in driving the air com-' pressor 53 and distribution system connected therewith. I

The water of the stream in which the motor is placed is passed through the motor and enters the flume boxes of which the decks 9, 9 form the bottom. The height and weight of the water contained in the said flumes isincreased by the use of impounding wings 61, 51. The forward surface of the'wings G1, (31 is maintained flush with the curved forward surface of the floats 7, 7 The wings (31 are diverged from themedian line of. the motor atangles, the degree of which iscontrolled by the speed and volume of the water of the stream in'which the motor. is floated. The outspread arm directs the water inward to the contracted areas of the flumes. In this action each wing is assisted by the projected end of the partition 13. The water, being thus diverged toward the flames of relatively contracted areas, being forced therein and therefrom by the force of the water upstream, piles up, forming within the fiumes a water level higher than the surrounding water in which the floats rest. This action of the Wings and partition 13 is supplemented by the down-' wardly curved end of the decks9, forming thereby an upwardly inclined way, effecting a mechanical lift of the water entering the tlume. Within the flame, the result at the immediate forward end is to pour the water to its maximum height. In passing through the fiume the water settles to, and is finally deliuered at; the tail end of the fiume at the 'iejv' l of the outer water. In doing this, the waterlei'el is dropped the several inches or feet to whiclfit has been piled at the receiving end of the tlumcs. This drop in the body of the water produces amultiplied rush of the water emptying'from the tail of tlie tlume, thereby adding materially to the driving force of the stream of water.

The in'ipounding wings 61 are fixed in relation to the floats 7, 7, and are reinforced to receive the impactof the flow of the stream by one or more piles G2, 62, which are driven into the bed of the stream at the back of the said wings.

To relieve the impounded water When the same is not required in the fiumes, and as a safe-guard against the strain in times of freshet, I have provided sluice gates 63, 63,

which, when opened, deliver the water laterally away from the flumes. I have also provided lock gates 64, 64, which are vertically operated and guidably mounted in slot's formed in brackets 65, 65. These gates are elevated by means of cables 66, 66, which are wound upona winch. 67, after being reeved over sheaves 68, 68. By turning the winch G7, the gates Get, 64 may be raised or lowered, as desired, partially or totally closing the entrance up-stream to either of the flames in the motor. hen these lock gates are dropped, the sluice gates 63, 63 are opened-to provide for the outpassage of the water from the impoundingwings (51, (31.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent is y 1. water notor comprising a floated housing arranged to form internal water ways; a plurality of sprocket wheels sepaatcd and mounted on suitable driving shafts; endless link chains rotatively connecting said wheels; a plurality of concave blades pivotally mounted on said chains to extend into said water ways; mountings for said blades embodying a plurality of link members pivoted each to the other and limited in their swing by an interposed member, said links being connected one to the said blades and one to the said chains; suitable generz-iting mechanisms mounted in said housing; and transmission devices conneeting said motor andsaid generating mechamsms.

2. A water motor comprising a floated housing arranged to form internal water ways; a plurality of sprocket wheels separated and mounted on suitable driving shafts; endless link chains rotatively connecting said wheels; a plurality of concave blades pivotally mounted on said chains to extend into said Water ways; mountings for said blades embodying a plurality of link members .pivoted each to the other and limited intheir swing by an interposed member; said links being connected one to the said blades and one to the said chains; track rails mounted on said housing in said water ways; carrying wheels mounted on said chains to track ,on said rails to support and guide the said chains; suitable generating mechanisms mounted in said housing; and transmission devices connecting said motor and generating mechanisms.

3. A water motor embodying a plurality of carrying wheels; an endless belt rotatively engaging said carrying wheels in supported relation thereon; a plurality of transversely disposed blades pivotally mounted on said belt; a mounting for said blades comprising a plurality of link plates having a series of concentrically curved slots; and a plurality of pivot pins, one whereof is mounted in each of said plates and engaged in holding relation with one of said slots in the opposite plate and in sliding engagement therewith.

4. A Water motor embodying a plurality of endless belts; a plurality of carrying wheels for said belts; a series of power blades pivotally mounted on said belts; and mountings for the said'blades comprising a inc plurality of shafts extended between said belts to form a pivot for each of said blades, a plurality of guide plates mounted upon said blades and extended in parallel relation to said belts said blades being provided at the outer extremity with a slot dis'iosed concentric to said shaft; a plurality 0' governing plates for said blades pivotally eonnected with each of said belts by a slotted extension, the slot whereof is formed eoneentrie with the shaft of'the blade governed by said plate; a plurality of pivots mounted on said belts and extended within the slot in said governing plates; a plurality of guide I pins fixedly mounted in said governing plates in engaged relation with the slot in the said guide plates; andmeans for pivot-- ally connecting said guide pins and governmg plates betweenthe said shaft and guide pin. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RUFUS 'AMES, \Vitnesses A. F. Kniiiiminn, 1*. BROWNING. 

